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Copa del Rey

Semi final, first leg

Barcelona 5 - Almería 0

Barcelona: Pinto; Adriano, Piqué, Abidal, Maxwell (Milito 82'); Xavi (Keita 74'), Mascherano, Iniesta; Pedro, Messi, David Villa (Afellay 66'). 4-3-3.
Almería: Esteban; Michel Macedo, Carlos García, Pellerano, Luna; Vargas, Mbami; Piatti, Corona (Kalu Uche 61'), Crusat; Goitom (Ulloa 74'). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 10. Messi. Picked up Pedro pass and fired in shot which bounced past keeper.
2-0. 12. Villa. Latched on to Xavi pass and shot across Esteban from wide angle.
3-0. 16. Messi. Curled shot wide of keeper after receiving angled pass from Iniesta.
4-0. 31. Pedro. Ran in to loop near post header over Esteban from Xavi free kick.
5-0. 88. Keita. Controlled Messi's lifted pass and steered shot wide of Esteban.

Yellow cards: Vargas 42'.

Barcelona thrashed Almería 5-0 in the first leg of their semi-final to virtually reserve their place in April's cup final. Messi and Villa scored the first two goals in the tenth and eleventh minutes, visiting keeper Esteban at fault for failing to stop long shots by both forwards. Goitom had a penalty appeal turned down and then fired a shot wide as the visitors tried to get back in the game, but with just over a quarter of an hour gone Iniesta set up Messi for the third. Keepers Pinto and Esteban had to save from Piatti and Pedro respectively, but on the half hour mark Pedro ran in to loop a header over the keeper from Xavi's wide free kick, and it was game over. After the break Maxwell hit the post and Esteban kept out Adriano, Mascherano and Pedro, with Goitom wasting a good chance for the Andalusians. But with a couple of minutes to go Keita completed the scoring after Messi set him up to make next week's second leg a mere formality.